ALL-TIME GREATS Following the 1949 season, the N Club voted to retire jersey No. 60 in honor of Tom “Train Wreck” Novak’s stellar career with the Cornhuskers. Novak, the first Nebraska player to earn this honor, had been a four-time All-Big Seven choice and a 1949 All-American.
For 55 years, Novak was the only NU player to have the distinction of a retired number. In 2004, that finally changed as College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bob Brown’s No. 64 joined Novak’s hallowed No. 60 among the only two permanently retired numbers at Nebraska. Brown, whose jersey retirement ceremony occurred during NU’s game with Colorado in 2004, became the 16th player in Husker history to have his jersey retired.
All major national award winners at Nebraska automatically have their jerseys retired, but their numbers will still be available to active Huskers.
Nebraska’s group of 16 players with retired jerseys certainly ranks among the best in the nation. Huskers who have earned the distinction of jersey retirement include three Heisman Trophy winners (Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, Eric Crouch), seven Outland Trophy winners with eight awards (Larry Jacobson, Rich Glover, Dave Rimington (2), Dean Steinkuhler, Will Shields, Zach Wiegert, Aaron Taylor), four Lombardi Award winners (Rich Glover, Dave Rimington, Dean Steinkuhler, Grant Wistrom), one Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner (Tommie Frazier), one Davey O’Brien Award winner (Crouch), one Butkus Award winner (Trev Alberts) and one Rimington Trophy winner (Dominic Raiola). Nebraska’s most recently retired jersey was Bob Brown’s (below) No. 64, which was permanently retired following his introduction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
Year Jersey Player, Position Major Awards Retired 1949 No. 60* Tom Novak, C Four-Time All-Conference, All-American 1972 Heisman/Walter Camp, 1972 No. 20 Johnny Rodgers, WB College Hall of Fame 1972 Outland/Lombardi, 1972 No. 79 Rich Glover, MG 26 College Hall of Fame 1981, 1982 Lombardi/1982 Outland, 1982 No. 50 Dave Rimington, C College Hall of Fame 1983 Heisman/Maxwell/Walter Camp, 1983 No. 30 Mike Rozier, IB College Hall of Fame 1983 No. 71 Dean Steinkuhler, OG 1983 Outland/Lombardi
1994 No. 75 Larry Jacobson, DT 1971 Outland
1994 No. 75 Will Shields, OG 1992 Outland
1994 No. 34 Trev Alberts, OLB 1993 Butkus
1995 No. 74 Zach Wiegert, OT 1994 Outland
1996 No. 15 Tommie Frazier, QB 1995 Johnny Unitas
1998 No. 67 Aaron Taylor, OG/C 1997 Outland
1998 No. 98 Grant Wistrom, RE 1997 Lombardi, College Hall of Fame
2002 No. 54 Dominic Raiola, C 2000 Rimington
2002 No. 7 Eric Crouch, QB 2001 Heisman/Walter Camp
2004 No. 64* Bob Brown, OG College and Pro Football Hall of Fame * Permanently retired numbers
2009 Cornhusker Football | Huskers.com he 16 Huskers to have their jerseys retired have combined for 22 All-America awards Tand six are members of the College Football Hall of Fame.
The names and numbers of players with retired jerseys are all displayed directly below the HuskerVision video screen on the north end of Memorial Stadium.
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huskers.com | 2009 Cornhusker Football